A Faithful Servant
by vcbxnzm21
Summary: Winky's life as a House Elf has never been easy. But what about after the Battle of Hogwarts and knowing that her only friend is dead? And what about the students she overhears one day talking about her? Will Winky ever be able to give up the Butterbeer or will being drunk be her way of life? And what about the kindness she soon receives? Will Winky always be A Faithful Servant?


**AN: Whoo! Finally got this done! So this is my story for the first round of finals for the Quidditch comp! My prompts were Freak, Everything happens for a reason, and Feast. I hope that you guys enjoy and remember to review!**

Winky the house elf was someone who no one paid attention to, or so she thought. Winky was just the house elf who sat in the Hogwarts kitchen and drank, at least for the first few years. Winky was invisible to almost everyone. There was only one person who would even think about looking after Winky but Dobby died in the war.

Winky missed Dobby terribly. Winky missed Dobby almost as much as she missed serving her old master.

But things changed after the Battle of Hogwarts, although Winky had not fully recovered from her Butterbeer addiction, Winky started to work more.

It was one day when Winky was making the beds in the Slytherin boys' dormitories that she heard the words uttered from below in the common room.

"Have you seen that drunk house elf?" a girl said.

"No," a boy replied, "but I heard she's a freak."

The students started to laugh then and tears started to swell in Winky's big brown eyes.

Once the laughing died down a girl said, "I heard that Dumbledore gave her a job after she got sacked at her last one."

"I heard that she cast the Dark Mark," another girl told them.

"No way that a drunken freak could cast that!" a boy exclaimed getting another laugh from the students.

Tears ran down Winky's face as she finished her chore and then went back to the kitchens where the rest of the house elves were preparing lunch.

Winky sat on the small stool that she came to think of as hers. Winky summoned a Butterbeer to her and drank almost the entire bottle in one go.

Did those kids really think Winky was freak?

Winky had been called worse names by her masters in the past but for some reason this one hurt more than the others. Winky wasn't really sure why but it did.

Maybe it was because Winky was so used to how nice everyone was at Hogwarts.

_Was Winky going soft? _Winky thought to herself. _No Winky has always been a good elf except when Winky was dismissed. But Winky has never done anything wrong. Winky never did anything! Winky did not deserve to be dismissed! Winky shamed her family by being dismissed!_

In despair Winky let herself cry even more. Winky quickly finished the bottle of Butterbeer in her hand and then summoned herself a new one. Winky knew that drowning herself in the alcoholic beverage would be the best way to go.

Suddenly Winky's eyelids started to droop. Winky knew that she had to get back to her bed before Winky passed out on the stool, which happened quite often before Dobby died. Dobby was usually the one who would take care of Winky when she was too drunk to take care of herself.

Winky would also talk to Dobby about things that would bother her. Dobby was the only one who really knew what Winky was feeling and why she drank so much. Dobby tried to help Winky in every way Dobby couldn't do anything help Winky.

Winky stood from her stool and started to walk, only to fall flat on her face and knock herself out.

* * *

When Winky finally woke up she was confused. Winky was in a large room that was nicely decorated. Winky had been laid on a couch in the room. Winky then recognized the room to be that of Professor Longbottom.

Winky jumped off the couch and stood, not wanting to disrespect one of the great teachers of Hogwarts.

Winky had seen Professor Longbottom when he was just a student. Professor Longbottom had been a great friend to Mister Potter, who had been friends with Dobby. Thinking of Dobby made Winky hang her head and tears come to Winky's eyes.

"Winky," Professor Longbottom said walking into the room. "Please take a seat." Winky stared at Professor Longbottom not knowing what to do. Winky had never been invited to sit with a wizard! Professor Longbottom nodded at the couch which Winky had woken up on. "Sit," Professor Longbottom said. Winky wasn't one to ignore an order so she sat down.

That's when a woman walked into the room. Winky stared at her trying to see if she knew this new person.

"Luna," Professor Longbottom said standing and walking over to the woman.

Winky then knew the woman. It was Miss Lovegood. Winky had known Miss Lovegood while she was a student as well. Miss Lovegood had been nice to the house elves. Miss Lovegood liked to talk with the house elves in the kitchens but Winky had never actually spoken to Miss Lovegood. Winky was usually drinking when Miss Lovegood was in the kitchens.

"How is she doing?" Miss Lovegood asked glancing at Winky.

"Dunno," Professor Longbottom replied. "She just woke up. But she was not doing well when I found her. Had a good knock to the head when she fell over and I'm assuming that she fell because she was drinking."

Miss Lovegood looked at her again and then replied, "Oh yes she's been drinking. Though why I'm not sure." Miss Lovegood tipped her head to the side and stared at Winky. "She was always drinking when I used to go a visit the elves in the kitchens. I always felt so bad for her."

"But can you find out why she was drinking?" Professor Longbottom asked.

Miss Lovegood looked at him and said, "I can try."

Winky watched as Miss Lovegood came and sat on the couch across from where Winky was sitting. Winky stared at her scared hands clasped in her lap.

"Winky," Miss Lovegood said quietly. "Winky I'm going to ask you some questions. Can you answer them for me?"

Winky looked up at Miss Lovegood. Winky wasn't sure why Miss Lovegood or Professor Longbottom were helping her. Winky was just a freak according to the Slytherin kids. Winky wasn't deserving of Miss Lovegood and Professor Longbottom's help. Winky didn't deserve anything.

"Winky, will you please answer the question," Miss Lovegood said.

Winky looked down and nodded her head. Winky didn't want to answer the questions but it was an order and Winky would never disobey a command from anyone.

"Why were you drinking Winky?" Miss Lovegood asked.

Winky looked up again in surprise. "Winky wasn't doing anything wrong Miss Lovegood!" Winky exclaimed. "Winky works hard at Hogwarts! Winky has gotten better! Winky wants to stay at Hogwarts! Winky doesn't want clothing! Winky doesn't want to be free!" Tears were pouring down Winky's face and she cried into her hands.

Miss Lovegood looked at Professor Longbottom surprised. "Winky," Miss Lovegood said. Winky looked up at Miss Lovegood. "Winky who did you serve before you came to Hogwarts?"

"Winky served the Crouch family. Winky loved the Crouches and never did anything! Winky was very sad when Master Crouch's son went bad. But Winky was a good elf! Winky's family would be shamed that Winky was dismissed from the Crouches!" Winky cried.

"Did you know Dobby the house elf?" Miss Lovegood asked.

Winky nodded her head and looked down. "Dobby would take care of Winky when she was drunk. Dobby was nice to Winky. Dobby was the only person who cared about Winky."

"Winky, I'd like to show you something," Miss Lovegood said making Winky look up again. "But I need your help to get us there."

Winky nodded her head and said, "Anything for Miss Lovegood."

Miss Lovegood smiled and stood, making Winky do the same. "I need you to Apparate us to Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth, Cornwall."

Winky held out her small hands to both Miss Lovegood and Professor Longbottom to take. Winky then Apperated Miss Lovegood and Professor Longbottom where Miss Lovegood had said.

The place where Winky had ended up was beautiful. It was probably the most beautiful place that Winky had ever seen.

"Winky," Miss Lovegood said drawing Winky's attention back to her. "Follow me."

Winky followed Miss Lovegood into the small garden next to the cottage. Professor Longbottom went into the cottage instead of following Miss Lovegood and Winky. Miss Lovegood led Winky to a spot hidden between two bushes.

Winky looked at the white stone that read _"Here Lies Dobby, a Free Elf."_

"Do you know what this is Winky?" Miss Lovegood asked.

"Dobby's grave," Winky replied as tears welled in her eyes once again. "Dobby was a free elf. Winky misses Dobby."

"Harry Potter was the one who freed Dobby," Miss Lovegood told Winky. "He dug this grave by hand, without magic. Dobby saved my life. He died saving a lot of people."

Winky looked at the grave. Dobby was gone but he would never be dead. Many people remembered Dobby, including Winky. Winky then looked up at Miss Lovegood. "Why has Miss Lovegood brought Winky here?" Winky asked quietly.

"To show you two things," Miss Lovegood replied. "One being that more people care about you than you realize."

"But Winky is just a freak house elf. No one should care about Winky. Winky doesn't deserve the care of wizards," Winky said suddenly.

Miss Lovegood looked down at Winky and said, "Everyone, no matter who they are, deserve the care of someone."

Winky looked at the grave sitting in front of them again. Winky had the care of Dobby before but now that Dobby was gone who was gonna care for Winky. That's when it clicked in Winky's head. "Miss Lovegood and Professor Longbottom care for Winky now," Winky said quietly.

Miss Lovegood smiled and replied, "We want you to be our own house elf. Neville and I have discussed it and we want you to work for us. I know that you served the Crouches and working at Hogwarts wasn't something you really wanted to do so we thought that serving another family would do you some good."

"Miss Lovegood and Professor Longbottom are very kind to Winky!" Winky cried. "Winky has never known someone as kind!" Winky paused then looking at the grave. "Miss Lovegood said there were two reasons why she brought Winky here. Miss Lovegood told Winky one."

Miss Lovegood nodded and replied, "I wanted to show you that everything happens for a reason. You getting dismissed from the Crouches happened for a reason. Dobby dying happened for a reason. Nothing just happens. There is always a reason."

Winky stared at the grave thinking about what Miss Lovegood had said. Winky knew that she was right though. Winky had failed Master Crouch, which is why she was dismissed. Dobby had died saving Harry Potter, a person Dobby would talk about for hours.

Winky then realized that she couldn't stick in the past. Winky had to move on with her life. Winky must move on. Winky knew that she would serve Miss Lovegood and Professor Longbottom well. Winky would serve them better than she had served the Crouches! Winky would make her family proud!

* * *

For many years Winky served Miss Lovegood, soon Miss Longbottom, and Professor Longbottom. They treated Winky as part of the family. They treated her with kindness and care that she had never received from the Crouches.

Winky liked working for the Longbottoms. But Winky was starting to get old. The drinking that she had done was not helping her and as she got older she got more and more clumsy and forgetful.

After having served the Longbottoms a great Christmas feast Winky went to her bed. Winky fell asleep that night and didn't wake up the next morning. But Winky was happy. Winky had died serving her new family, one whom she had grown to love.

Luna and Neville decided to bury her next to Dobby, the one person who had looked out for her before them. On her gravestone it read, _"Here Lies Winky. A faithful servant until the end."_

**AN: So I hope that you guys like it and good luck to all other quidditch players! And please remember to review!**


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